The Morganroth Mystery
by Lifebender
Summary: Allie Morganroth grows up in an orphanage and discovers that she is a witch. Before she goes to Hogwarts she is put with a magical foster family. Allie discovers that she is very gifted, but who could her parents be? Does anyone know? DISCONTINUED! But adoption comes with an excellent beta. :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – Don't own anything, and I'm not profiting monetarily.

Chapter 1 - Magic

Allie Morgan was not an ordinary kid. She never considered herself an orphan, although, she did grow up in an orphanage in London, England. She believed her parents were out there, and every day she wished they would come back and take her away. Just away.

Her life at the orphanage wasn't dreadful or abnormally horrid in any way. There were good days and bad days throughout the years, but she never felt as if she belonged anywhere. Something deep within her told her she was different.

This is how she discovered her abilities.

When Allie was 8, she had an argument with one of the other girls staying there. She had tried to slam the door in the other girl's face, but realized she was too far away. The door shut anyway, but her hand hit nothing but air.

A few months of practice and she was able to open and shut the door without touching it. But she could never work out how to turn the knob.

When she was nine, she had been harshly reprimanded for "bending spoons". She had seen something on TV about psychics being able to do this. The problem was the spoon never wanted to go back to being perfectly straight after it was bent, no matter how long it was coaxed.

Allie constantly tried to improve herself over the next couple of years, and started going on long walks, so she could be by herself. The neighborhood she was in wasn't particularly bad, and she made it back alright, so she was rarely stopped.

The truth was, not many people cared about Allie, and what she was up to. She usually kept to herself as much as she could and didn't have any real friends.

In the dead of winter, just after her 11th birthday, she overheard the child care worker talking about putting her into foster care. The parents were lined up and everything, she would meet them tomorrow.

This spurred her to take her longest walk ever, thinking. What would having parents be like? Would they accept me if they knew I was different?

It was a cold night. Allie glanced behind her a few times to make sure she wasn't getting lost, but she was already pretty far.

Sometimes when she checked behind her, she saw a cat following her. She wasn't sure if it was the same cat, but it seemed to be getting closer, and she started to get a little creeped out.

She stopped at a bench, deciding she had gone far enough, and shivered. A night like this would be perfect to finally make some progress in creating fire. She had thought she had seen a spark or wisp of smoke in the nights previous, but really hoped she could get a flame tonight.

She concentrated hard with her hand extended in front of her. Something was happening, she could feel it.

While Allie was busy concentrating, a cat jumped on to the other side of the bench where she was sitting.

When Allie noticed she had an audience she nearly had a heart-attack. This cat was staring right at her, but kept its distance. It was watching Allie carefully, almost scrutinizingly so.

When Allie's heartbeat had returned to normal she leaned in for a closer look at the peculiar animal. The cat backed up slightly with a look that said clearly, _'I will not tolerate being petted'._

Allie eventually returned to her task and slightly enjoyed the cat's company, talking to it a few times even.

"Sometimes I feel it… ya know? And its just right there, but won't light." She muttered. "Just right… there!" She pointed to a spot over her right hand and a flame flickered to life there over her palm.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. She held the flame high and proud and stood up to take a fake bow.

BANG! A huge purple three-decker bus came out of nowhere and popped up the sidewalk slightly. Allie shrieked and tripped back over the bench falling hard on the other side.

There was no longer a cat on the bench. There was now a woman rushing to the side of the bus speaking too hurriedly for Allie to hear. All of this happened so quickly, she had forgotten about her fire, which was now burning her scratched hand.

"OW!" Allie yelled in pain and waved her hand, trying to get the fire out. But it wasn't working. The fire seemed content to keep on burning forever.

"Aguamenti" she heard a stern woman's voice, and her hand was soaked instantly with water, putting out the flame. She looked up slowly to see a woman in an emerald green cloak pointing a thin stick at her. Her eyes and glasses reminded her much of the cat's strangely shaped eyes.

Allie started sucking on her fingers and sobbing slightly. The pain was just enough to drive her curiosity away for a while.

"Well what did you expect?" The woman said matter-o-factly, but even in the dim light Allie could tell the woman's face had softened a bit. "Trying to conjure fire with no previous instruction or protection?" she continued.

The strange woman helped Allie up and back to the bench. The bus had disappeared.

"Give me your hand, I can help." The woman said, and Allie held out her hand cautiously wondering what she would do. She started to wave the stick around in small circles, pointing at her hand, and the pain eased away gradually.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" she said while continuing healing her. Allie just stared at her with wide eyes, her mouth gaping slightly.

When Allie didn't respond McGonagall continued. "You, are Alexandra Morganroth. And you obviously know by now that you are a young witch." She said all of this very bluntly, not looking up at Allie's reaction. Allie nodded instinctually.

When McGonagall was finished, Allie looked down to see her hand wrapped tightly with bandages.

"Thank you…" she mumbled out, part of her wanting to bolt at the first opportunity, but her curiosity now glued her to her seat. "I've always been able to do strange things…"

"Yes, and its time you learned." McGonagall now had a small smile. "Magic…" she said dramatically pulling out a small button from her pocket. "Is both a very fine art…" she tapped the button with her stick and it transformed into a complexly colorful butterfly that glowed in the dark. "…and destructive force." The butterfly burst into flames and its singed corpse fell to the ground. "It is not to be trifled with." She finished firmly.

Allie was now staring in awe. "You killed it…" she said slightly accusatorily but mostly in wonder.

"Look again." McGonagall said simply.

Allie looked back at the ashes, but only saw the small black button again.

"Wow…" Allie stared at it impressed. She reached her hand out and focused, and the button flew straight into her palm.

"That was wicked" she said turning the button over in her hand and glancing back to McGonagall. She was looking at her sternly, and Allie felt as if she was being scrutinized again.

"Where do I get one of those?" she asked excitedly pointing to the stick in McGonagall's hand realizing it must be some kind of wand.

"That would be up to your parents… generally new Hogwarts students buy their wands in the summer before term." McGonagall said plainly, yet still looking at her thoughtfully.

Allie's face fell. "But I haven't got any parents… or money" she said dejectedly.

"Both of those problems should be solved tomorrow." McGonagall said, the small smile returning to her face. She pulled out a small golden pocket watch. "And seeing as it is already tomorrow, I think it is best for you to be getting back to your house now."

Had it really been that long? This was by far the latest Allie had ever stayed out before, but she still had so many questions, she wasn't in the least bit tired. McGonagall got up and gestured for her to walk back with her.

They started to walk and while Allie tried to figure out which question was best to ask, McGonagall started to chuckle to herself.

"I can't believe you managed to flag the night bus…" she recollected. "Who knows where you might have ended up if I wasn't watching tonight?" McGonagall turned to Allie with an amused look.

"What's… the night bus?" Allie asked confusedly.

"Just one of our many means of transportation" McGonagall explained. "There are so many things I imagine you must be curious about. And there are rules you must learn of course…" she continued. "You will probably think back on most of what has happened tonight as a dream, so I think it best to let your new mother explain how things work tomorrow."

Allie stopped dead in her tracks. "She's like me?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course" McGonagall said, but some righteous anger flashed behind her eyes. "A witch like yourself has no business being raised by muggles." She didn't pause long enough for Allie to question the term. "We have matched you with a couple you will meet tomorrow. Your new foster mother is a witch. Now come along before you catch a cold."

Allie started walking alongside her once again wondering what muggles were, and who the 'we' was. But something else was bothering her and thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Do you know who my real parents are?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Do you know where they are?" She added because it felt right.

McGonagall continued to walk in silence and Allie thought she was ignoring her until she said, "I, honestly, don't know much about you Miss Morganroth." They were nearing the orphanage now. "I was given your name, and asked to come here to investigate why an abnormal level of 'accidental' magic was registering from you. Hopefully, things can be cleared up tomorrow, but as for your parents, it is still a mystery."

Allie huffed at that. She was sure her real parents must also be magical, and wondered why they had abandoned her.

"I expect to see you at Hogwarts next term, Alexandra." McGonagall said politely as they approached the house.

"But…" Allie still had so many questions for her, but McGonagall was already walking away briskly down the sidewalk.

She turned around at the street corner and cut her off. "I am sure Mrs. Finnegan will answer your questions tomorrow. Pleasant dreams, Miss Morganroth." She finished, and with a grandiose turn she whirled around and disappeared with a popping sound.

"Awesome…" Allie breathed, staring at the spot she had disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer – Don't own anything, and I'm not profiting monetarily.

Chapter 2 – A Whole New World

After just a week with her new foster parents, Allie had quickly learned the standard etiquette and expectations of a witch her age. She could no longer practice her magic without her mother, Irene's, permission, or else she could get in trouble with the ministry of magic. Her mother was already baffled by the fact she could control any of her magic already. Even after Seamus had his wand for a half a year at Hogwarts he was still blowing things up in his face.

Her new father, Robert, had gotten used to seeing magic around the house, but he didn't like to be surprised. Irene always said she had to be careful around him, always show him clearly she was about to use a spell or enchant something so he would be in the loop.

So Allie spent the rest of the winter getting to know her new parents and the new world she was brought into. Irene started to make her write with a quill, a necessary skill at Hogwarts, and it frustrated Allie just because it was completely inefficient when compared to the _pen_. But it was a minor con amongst so many fantastic pros. The first time Irene took her to Diagon Allie on a shopping trip, Allie could easily say it had been the most exciting day of her life.

Irene had been shuffling through things next to the fireplace while Allie was waiting to accompany her.

"Are you looking for your keys?" Allie asked a little confused.

"No, we won't be taking the car…" Irene trailed off as she grabbed a small pot filled with some sort of dirt or powder.

Allie looked at the pot, and then to the fireplace, then back to the pot, and finally up at her mother, who had whipped out her wand, and, out of habit, slowly waved it and said clearly, "incendio".

A fire started in the fireplace, and Irene held the pot out to her expectantly. Allie just looked at the pot and gave her mother a confused look.

"I thought we were going shopping…? She said befuddled.

"Oh, of course you haven't traveled by floo dear…" Irene shook her head. "My mistake. Just take a pinch of this powder and throw it in, then step into the pit-"

"What!" Allie took a step back. If there was one thing she knew, it was magic fire burned.

"Don't worry dear, its completely harmless." She smiled encouragingly.

"Ok-kay." Allie replied as she grabbed some powder and tossed it into the flames. The fire changed into a less dangerous looking green color, and stopped emitting heat.

"So once you're in there, just tuck your elbows in and clearly say the words, 'Diagon Alley'." Said Irene. "It may help to close your eyes as well. When the spinning stops, just take a step forward and I'll be right behind you."

Allie bent down and reached her hand out into the fire. It was actually quite cool. She then boldly stepped into the inferno and followed Irene's instructions.

The spinning came upon her so suddenly she forgot to close her eyes, and halfway through the journey she felt really sick. By the end of the journey she was practically green, and after stumbling out of the floo, she doubled over and threw up right in the middle of a cobbled stone square.

After losing her breakfast her head cleared a little, and she immediately looked around to see if anyone noticed. Not many passersbies were giving her the time of day, probably just grossed out and hurrying along their business. Then she noticed a pair of red-headed boys at a nearby ice-cream shop roaring with laughter. One had even fallen out of his chair.

Allie blushed deeply and hung her head a little. She hadn't really been expecting an audience.

"Scourgify" she heard and she looked up to see the mess she had made had disappeared and the two boys, she could now see were twins, were smiling at her in a whimsical way.

"See, told you this trip was worth it George" one of them remarked.

"What? One little girl who's new with the floo hurls, and your day is made?" George countered with a smile. "You've got to raise the standard of your comedic intellect Fred."

"But your overlooking the simplicity of the humor" Fred rebutted. "Never underestimate the power of puke."

"Excuse me," Allie interrupted shyly. "But did one of you use magic to clean that up?"

"No, we used George's 'comedic intellect'" Fred said jabbing a thumb at his brother and snickering.

Allie giggled a little, but stopped when she realized something. "But you're underage! You guys could get into serious trouble."

"Eh, we would probably get in more trouble for just being here really" said George. "We're actually supposed to be in Hogsmead right now, the little town next to Hogwarts. Fred here had the idea to sneak into somebodies floo so we could reload on supplies from Gambol and Japes."

"Zonko's never has the right stuff," Fred said shaking his head. "And we don't want to draw attention to ourselves by making any outlandish orders... It was worth the risk." He finished with a smile and Allie blushed again, cursing her weak stomach.

"I'm Allie by the way" said Allie still a little nervous. "I'll be coming to Hogwarts next term…wait." she stopped, her brain whirling. It was sort of an instinctual thing from all the information she had gathered from the boys. "You all are twins from Hogwarts? Why aren't you in disguise? My foster mother is Seamus Finnegan's real mother, and she's supposed to be right behind me." Allie said all in one breath. "Would she recognize you?"

Fred turned to George with a horrified look. "How could we not think about that?" He said, genuinely worried and glanced over his shoulder looking a little paranoid.

"I don't know I was just concerned about getting here." George said, now equally worried and a little flustered.

"What if we ran into mom?" They suddenly said in unison and wore similar looks of terror. They suddenly bolted down the alley and one of them called back. "Nice meeting you!" They were around a corner before she could respond.

Allie couldn't help but laugh at the two boys' behavior. Even when they weren't trying to be funny they just were.

"Allie!" she heard a distant call and saw her mother on the other side of the square waving her arm. Allie quickly rushed through a throng of people to get to her mother, and Irene hurried over and gave her a quick hug. "I was so worried when I came out and couldn't see you." She said fretfully. "I realized I left my purse in the other room after you left. The grates must have switched over in the time it took me to get it" she explained. "Did you throw-up? You have a little mess on your face…" she said pulling out a handkerchief and wiping Allie's mouth.

"Yeah, I was really sick when I came out over there." Allie said. "But I feel better now."

"'Well thank goodness for that. Did you keep your eyes closed?" Allie shook her head. "Make sure you shut your eyes next time and you should be fine" Irene reminded. "…I suppose we should go clean up your mess before shopping. Wouldn't want anyone slipping and falling" Irene said grabbing Allie's hand and making her way across the square.

"Wait, it's already clean…" Allie trailed off realizing she could get the Fred and George in trouble. Irene noticed Allie was trying to hide something and immediately put on a questioning face.

"Did someone clean it for you? We should go and thank them" Irene suggested.

"Uh… actually…" Allie stalled trying to come up with a fool proof lie. "I'm sorry" she said suddenly and Irene looked even more curiously at her.

"What for sweetie?" she asked.

"I accidentally cleaned it myself… with magic. I guess I just didn't want anyone to make fun of me, and it happened." She put on an ashamed face.

"Don't worry Allie, accidents happen." Irene said with a smile. "Let's go to the apothecary first, and I can get you a revitalizing potion. It should keep you full until lunch." They started walking side-by-side to a shop with a flask engraved on a sign outside. Allie was relieved her story had worked without getting anyone in trouble and stepped into the shop just before her mother.

The place was empty except for an attendant and two customers in the back of the store. Irene told Allie she could sit in a little waiting area over to the side while she went up to the counter and rang the bell to summon the cashier. The attendant gave a thumbs up to the men in the back and hurried over to help Irene.

While Irene was buying the potion and her other supplies, Allie realized the two customers were leaning casually on the wall next to her, seemingly looking at the prices for live scarab beetles. Something about them seemed familiar.

"Strange coincidence eh Gred?" One of them asked in a hushed tone and a small smile.

"Yep Forge, I think we have a tail" said the other softly. "And here I thought these disguises were worth a sickle…" he continued shaking his head. "Who do you work for and what do you want from us?" He joked still pretending to be interested in the scarabs.

Allie had to stifle her laugh by buckling over. They were clearly different now, but the boys still looked a lot like how they did back in the square, just older with different hair and noses. She quickly regained her composure and nonchalantly looked at her nails breathing out, "How?"

"Well two aging potions don't cost a sickle but we offered the guy the change if he would make our hair and noses different" explained Forge while crossing behind a shelf to fake examine the slugs there.

"I guess we owe you one for seeing the flaw in this plan of ours" Gred said pretending that he was talking to Forge. "Did you say anything about us to your mom?"

"Nope" Allie answered but popped the 'P' too loudly and Irene looked over at her. Allie quickly coughed and she went back to her business.

"She's good" said Gred with a wide grin. "I think we owe her two."

"Yeah, one for each of our necks" replied Forge. "Thanks for covering for us. Be sure to look us up when you get to Hogwarts."

"Or on the train." whispered Gred as he joined Forge at the slugs. "We'll be with the large sea of red-hair that arrives five minutes before it leaves. Can't miss us." They both gave her a brief smile before heading out the door.

Allie smiled, glad she could make some friends before school even started. Who would have thought puke would be the best way to meet people?

Irene came over to where Allie was sitting and gave her the potion. Allie downed it in two gulps and bounded up full of energy. "Wow! I feel great!" she exclaimed. "Where to next?"

The pair spent the rest of the morning, and most of the fine Saturday afternoon shopping and exploring. Allie was so hyper from the potion, she couldn't stop asking questions about every magical thing she saw. "Do people really fly on brooms? When can I get my wand? How are the people in the pictures moving? Do owls make good pets?" Irene tried to answer everything, but there were still a lot of things Allie wasn't familiar with. She couldn't get her to leave Flourish and Blotts without promising to show her all of the books she already owned.

When they finally got back to their house, Irene was worn out. She pulled some books from her shelf in her bedroom about creatures and quidditch, gave them to Allie, and retired to the sofa.

"Why'd I let her drink the whole thing…" She muttered as she fell asleep.

Two weeks later, a package arrived by owl for Allie.

"Look Allie, Seamus sent you some chocolate" Irene said handing over a box with Honeyduke's written on it. "Isn't that sweet? You should send him a thank you card. I'll go get some parchment for you." She left to the drawing room.

Allie looked down at the box again skeptically. It was clearly addressed: "To: Allie, From: Seamus" and Allie could only think that her new brother was being nice to her. When she opened the lid she saw words on the underside and gasped.

"Thanks again. F&G."

"What is it Allie?" Irene asked as she came back into the room.

"Oh… Uh, these are just my favorite, that's all." said Allie cleverly and looked back down at the box, but the words were nowhere to be found. She smiled and took a bite of her chocolate.


	3. Chapter 3

"…and Mum!" Seamus said excitedly. "Can you believe Harry Potter is one of my roommates!?"

"Ugh…" Allie sighed. "Seriously Seamus, if you mention Harry Potter again I'm going to think you have a crush on him."

Irene shot her a warning look, but Seamus just brushed her comment off with a smirk. "You're just jealous because you haven't met him."

Allie had to admit this was true. From what Seamus said about last term, this Harry Potter was either the luckiest or greatest wizard of his age. Apparently he had defeated two trolls _and _a giant three-headed dog. That didn't even include that supposedly, as a baby, he was responsible for the death of You-Know-Who, ending a terrible war a decade ago. Allie didn't believe all of it, but she figured some of his story must be true.

"Whatever" Allie replied, and stood up to leave the table.

"Finished already Allie?" Irene questioned looking at her parchment. She was making them practice their quill writing so they'd be ready for term next month. Seamus had protested he'd had enough practice last term. To prove it, he broke two quills and blobbed ink everywhere trying to write his name.

Allie nodded and went to the sofa where she had lain "Hogwarts: A History" and cracked it open.

"Think I could get on the quiditch team next year mum?" Seamus asked. "Harry made it last year and…"

At the sound of Harry's name again Allie looked up from her book and stared at the wall ahead of her. She then flicked her hand toward Seamus and continued reading.

"…and to everyone's surprise, he spit the snitch out of his mouth and we won!" Seamus finished with a big grin on his face.

Irene just smiled at her son and checked his work. She tilted her head and asked "Seamus, why have you written 'I love Harry Potter' three times?"

Seamus looked down confused. "What?"

Allie couldn't suppress her snickering at how oblivious Seamus was. Unfortunately, Irene noticed.

"Alexandra!" Irene said sternly, standing up and giving her a scolding stare. Allie immediately sobered at her foster mother's use of her full name. "I don't even know what kind of magic that was, but fooling your brother like that was wrong. Apologize to Seamus now!"

Allie may have protested that her intentions were harmless and it was only a good bit of fun, but she'd learned in the past that talking back to Irene only made things worse. "Sorry Seamus." She muttered.

"It's fine." He said a little awkwardly. Seamus always avoided creating a scene in front of his mother, but Allie knew she'd probably pay for her prank later. Seamus always found a new way to get her back by disgusting her with some slimy or smelly thing when she least expected it. The worst was when he had set off dung bombs under her bed.

"Good." Started Irene keeping on her stern face. "Now go outside and weed the garden, and don't you even think about using magic again today young lady." Allie hung her head and headed out the back door connected through the kitchen. She hated yard work.

As she ripped up the small plants in the beds from the root, she found herself regretting getting caught, more than doing the prank itself. Her foster dad would have thought it was hilarious, and she decided to tell him about it secretly later. Robert had heard plenty about Harry Potter from Seamus over the summer as well.

Their backyard was an open space. Flower beds lined the perimeter where there was a wooden fence that separated their yard from the neighbors. The beds near the porch were always the weediest and needed care because they were simple flowers planted along in rows grown without magic.

Suddenly Allie saw something dart behind a bush. She was so startled she let out a small yelp and fell backwards.

"Is everything all right honey?" Irene's voice came from the back door, where Allie was now retreating to a little flustered. "Did you see a snake?" she added worriedly. Irene was terrified of snakes.

"There's something in the bushes!" Allie explained pointing at the bush in question. "It definitely wasn't a snake…" continued Allie. Just then, an oddly shaped smushed brown face protruded around the edge of the bush. Quickly, the little creature darted to another bush and both Allie and Irene gasped.

"I think I know what that is…" Irene said, her eyes wide, "but I never expected one to come to my garden. Come back in the house dear, better safe than sorry."

"What was that thing?" Allie asked bewildered as she stepped back into the kitchen. "It looked like an ugly miniature man."

"Huh?" Seamus looked up from his parchment to his mom for an explanation, but she had already started heading back to her bedroom.

"Let me just check something…" she trailed off. Allie figured she must be perusing her bookshelf of magical books. Meanwhile, Seamus turned to Allie with a questioning stare. Allie just shrugged her shoulders and waited for Irene to return.

"Here we are," Irene emerged from her bedroom with a thick tome. "Lockheart's Guide to Household Pests." She announced as she sat the book down on the kitchen table. She had her finger already holding the correct page, and quickly opened it to a section titled 'Garden Gnomes'.

"That's it alright." Allie said matter-o-factly putting her finger on the picture of the ugly little gnome on the page.

"Oh I know about these." Seamus interjected. "Dealt with a few in the grounds around Hogwarts even. Don't worry mum I'll take care of it." With that he bounded out the back door.

"Wait, what are you going to do to it?" Irene called out looking a little wary. While she had given Seamus permission to use magic as long as she could supervise, she was still apprehensive when it came to his spell work. Meanwhile, Allie had read the small paragraph of descriptions and techniques of how to handle the pests.

"Doesn't seem too difficult mum." Allie said. "It says to disorient them with a knockback or confusion jinx, then toss them away…" she trailed off thinking about how that really didn't solve the problem.

"Wouldn't that just create a problem for someone else?" Irene asked skeptically peering over Allie's shoulder to read the "Proper Procedure for Prime Performance" section.

Allie didn't respond because she could see Seamus through the window with his wand out. "Mum, you better watch this" she said slightly worried for the garden. Seamus didn't have a good track record with his magic.

Irene looked up just in time to see a little brown creature dart from the bushes toward the flower beds. Seamus quickly waved his wand and shouted "FLIPENDO!" and a jet of blue light shot from the tip of his wand and hit the gnome straight in the face, causing it to do a single backflip and land knocked out on its stomach. There was a pause while Irene and Allie stared out the window in disbelief.

"Wow, Seamus, you got it!" Irene exclaimed and rushed out the door.

"Geez mum don't sound so surprised…" Seamus said rolling his eyes. "Dean and I practiced knocking out gnomes first month of school for defense against the dark arts…" He still beamed proudly when she gave him a quick hug and kissed him on the forehead.

Allie hung back in the doorway in complete shock. Maybe she hadn't given Seamus the credit he deserved. His spell had worked perfectly, not to mention his aim was spot on, almost as if his wand had tracked the gnome on its own.

"So what do you want to do with it now?" Seamus asked. "At Hogwarts we would always see how far we could throw them."

"Well…" Irene hesitated looking at the gnome. "That is how Lockhart says to handle them…" she paused looking back to Allie. "I don't know if I could kill it."

"Why not?" Allie questioned moving out to the creature and flipping it over onto its back with her foot. "Just pretend it's a snake and use that cutting spell." She suggested.

Seamus looked at her angrily and yelled "That's barbaric!" Then turned to his mother for support. "Let's just toss it into it into the Wellington's yard. They know about magic and they don't keep their backyard very tidy."

Irene paused to consider this. The Wellingtons lived two doors down and they were muggles, but Mr. Wellington's mother who lived with them was a witch. They had a daughter named Jennifer who was eleven years old just like Allie.

"That works to." Allie said smirking and thinking of the look on Jennifer's face if she came across it. Jennifer was one of the snobbiest spoiled girls Allie knew, and that included the girls back at the orphanage, obviously. She had blond hair with perfect curls and always wore the brightest decorative outfits that made Allie want to gag. Allie had yet to get Jennifer back for the time she had ratted her out to Irene for sneaking out at night a few weeks ago.

Seamus and Allie looked at Irene pleadingly and she gave in. "Alright, alright… just make sure no one sees." Irene walked to the gate next to the side of the house to see if there were any cars coming down the street and muttered "Lord knows that woman deserves it, the way she treats her mother-in-law…"

Allie rocketed to the back of the fence and jumped on the cross boards so she could just see over. "I'll spot it for you Seamus." She called back smiling. The yard next door wasn't too big, but the Wellington's fence on the other side was rather high. "You're gonna need a nice lob, at least 25 yards." Allie estimated.

"Easy." Seamus replied confidently picking up the unconscious gnome by its legs and looking to his mother for the all clear. Irene gave him a thumbs up and Seamus took three quick steps forward and hurled the gnome high and long. Allie tracked it with her eyes watching as it just barely cleared the Wellington's high fence and landed with a thud on the other side.

"GOAL!" Allie shouted skipping down from the fence and giving Seamus a high-five.

"Nice work Seamus, now I just hope it doesn't find its way back…" Irene said. "Perhaps there is a repellent in Diagon Alley."

"I'll just knock it out again!" said Seamus with a smile.

"I'm sure you would, honey." Irene responded. "You deserve a treat for getting that gnome on your first try. How about ice cream?"

"Yes, please." Seamus answered and they moved to the back door. Allie stood by the fence feeling a little left out.

Irene turned to her after Seamus bounded over the threshold. "Allie you can have some as soon as you've finished with the weeds. Just make sure you wash your hands!" she finished and disappeared indoors.

This put a grin on Allie's face. Yard work is far more bearable when you get to look forward to ice cream after. She plopped into the beds and attacked the weeds with a purpose. She was so focused in her task she almost didn't hear the slight whisper coming from the nearest bush.

"All that girlsssss fault…" it sounded. "That potato facccced creature dug sssssstraight through my dining room!"

Allie stopped pulling weeds and stared into the bushes where it was coming from. "Hello?" she asked tentatively. The bushes rustled and a snake head poked out. It was black with a yellowish green stripe along its back.

Its black eyes stared at her for a moment before it hissed "You can undersssstand me? Good. Now ssssomeone will finally hear about the sssssuffering ones life is in thissss prison of a garden."

Allie was paralyzed with shock. She was speaking with a snake after all. "Did I ssssay ssssomething in a different language?" Allie put her hand to her mouth not believing what she was hearing.

"You humans are ssssso conccccceited" the snake said. It cocked up its head exposing its yellow underbelly and hissed "You asssssume that you can ssssspeak my language and don't even conssssider that I could sssspeak yours." It flicked out its tongue at her then slithered away offended. This gave Allie pause. She would have thought that this was a talking snake if she had not felt her lips move in a way they hadn't before.

"Wait!" Allie called after it and moved along the edge of the bush to follow. "I guesssss I assssumed it was one of my abilitiessss." She hissed. "You see, I can do-"

"-Magic?" The snake interrupted. "Well of courssssse you can dearie, itssss your magic that drew that home-wrecking lummoxxxxx here. Creaturesssss like me can ssssenssse it you sssssee, and it is quite obvioussss that your powerssss are far greater than the two othersss." The snake's voice was fading now and Allie craned her neck to try to see beyond the trimmed leaves of the bushes.

"What do you mean?" Allie asked. But before the snake could reply, Irene opened the back door and called "Is something the matter Allie? Do you see another gnome?"

The snake remained silent, and Allie assumed it went underground to hide from Irene. "I guess I'm just seeing things." Allie covered quickly. "I thought I saw something moving."

Irene narrowed her eyes. "If it's that gnome again we will have to make sure it knows there is no place for it here." She made a motion to join Allie near the bushes but Allie stopped her.

"No I'm pretty sure it was nothing Irene. By the way I'm finished with the weeds." She gestured to the beds in question.

Irene inspected her work for a moment before beckoning her to come inside for ice cream. Allie turned before she exited the yard to see a pair of eyes staring at her in the bushes. She smiled as she disappeared inside.


End file.
